Definition

The most frightening or causing the greatest fear.

Example

That was the scariest movie I have ever seen!

Comparatives & Superlatives

Conversation

Have you seen that horror movie everyone is talking about?

Yeah, I watched it last night! It was the scariest film I've seen in a while.

Really? I’m not sure I can handle the scariest scenes.

You might want to watch it with someone — it definitely helps to have a buddy!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Scariest → It is formed from "scare" (from Old Norse *skera*, meaning to cut or to separate, which evolved to mean to frighten) and the superlative suffix "-iest" (meaning most). The word "scariest" means the most frightening or the one that causes the greatest fear.

Memory Tip

Think of something that causes the greatest fear — 'scare' relates to fright, and '-iest' indicates the most. This helps you remember that 'scariest' refers to the most frightening thing.

Visually Confused Words